1. Field of the Disclosure
This invention relates to a panel and more particularly a floor panel.
In particular, it relates to a panel of the type wherein the panel comprises a core, an upper side, a bottom side and at least two opposite edges; wherein coupling parts are provided at said two opposite edges; wherein these coupling parts have such a configuration that two of such panels can be coupled to each other by means of a downward movement of one of the panels in respect to the other, such that a locking is obtained in the plane of the panels and perpendicular to said edges, as well as perpendicular to the plane of the panels; wherein the coupling parts at said two edges comprise locking parts ensuring said locking in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the panels, wherein at least one of these locking parts forms part of a flexible portion made in one piece with said core, said flexible portion extending along the respective edge and being bendable at least in the plane of the panel, as a result of connecting two of such panels.
2. Related Art
Panels of this type are known from WO 2008/116623 and WO 2009/033623 and show the feature that they can combine various advantageous characteristics in the same panel. As the flexible portion is made in one piece with the core, a relatively inexpensive production is possible, as such coupling parts can be realized exclusively by machining treatments and it is not necessary to provide separate elements in the edge. As the panels, at two edges, are provided with coupling parts allowing to couple such panels to each other by means of a downward movement, in the case of floor panels, they can be installed, when being provided with a suitable profiled part at the other edges, by making use of the user-friendly “angle-push” technique, wherein each new panel to be installed is connected to the previous row of panels by means of a turning technique, and wherein, as a result of the downward movement associated therewith, it is automatically coupled to the preceding panel in the same row, via the coupling parts comprising said flexible portion.
By making use of a flexible element which is bendable in the plane of the panel and also extends substantially in the plane of the panel, said coupling parts are particularly suited for realizing a so-called “push-lock” coupling in a core material which, in its plane, has a higher tensile strength than perpendicularly to its plane, which mostly is the case with wood composite board. In this manner then in such case at least the necessary flexibility can be guaranteed, on the one hand, whereas, on the other hand, it is excluded that with the occurring forces a tearing-off of the flexible portion from the remainder of the core will happen.
More specifically, this has enabled realizing a so-called “push-lock” coupling in one piece in MDF/HDF, in such a manner that, thanks to the construction thereof, a good bending is possible for realizing a snap effect, whereas weak portions, in which a shearing-off may occur, are excluded.
According to the embodiments which are described in WO 2008/116623 and WO 2009/033623, the flexible portion consists of a lip which is attached at its distal extremities, however, which moreover, at the height of the zone where it is active as a locking part, is entirely made free all around in order to supply the intended flexibility. These known embodiments have the disadvantage that the flexible part made as a lip, in the coupled condition of two panels, can perform a considerable deformation perpendicular to the plane of the panels. A consequence thereof is that, under certain irregular loads, it is impossible to ensure that the panels will not show any height differences at their decorative surfaces. When, for example, in the case of floor panels a panel is heavily loaded directly adjacent to its coupled edge, for example, by the foot of a heavy piece of furniture, said lip will bend in a plane perpendicular to the panels, whereby the most heavily loaded panel possibly will sink deeper into the mostly applied elastically impressible underlay than the adjacent panel.